The Bagpipe Challenge — Sunday March 18 1pm

Bagpipes — musical instruments characterised by one or more reed pipes blown via a bag or bladder — are generally thought of as a Celtic instrument but this is far from the case. Virtually every culture around the world has bagpipes of some form or another, and the music they are used to produce differs widely.

On Sunday at 1pm Pacific Time (20:00 GMT) three presenters — Elrik Merlin, Ktahdn Vesuvino and Gabrielle Riel — bring you the sound of the bagpipes from around the world on Radio Riel’s Main Stream — or you can join them in the virtual world of Second Life at Ceiliúradh Glen.

There is much more to bagpiping than the stirring up of the deaf and sharing music with those in the next time zone, and the Seanchai Library, as part of its 10th Anniversary celebrations, is hosting a programme in which three fans of the instrument present their arguments. We invite you to step into a world beyond the stereotypes and hear… music!

The bagpipe is, after all, simply a reed musical instrument. Like the oboe, bassoon, crumhorn, shawm, sorna and many others sound is produced by two thin stiff elements vibrating against each other as air passes between them; the beating gives these instruments their characteristic buzzing sound. To the common double reed the bagpipe adds an air reservoir so that breath’s pulsation can become continuous.

There are many kinds of bagpipes and many kinds of players. This Seanchai program will give Elrik Merlin, Ktahdn Vesuvino and Gabrielle Riel a chance to show why they like the pipes, and we invite you to share their enjoyment!

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